Horner, who became free to return to the paddock earlier this month following the expiry of his non-compete clause after leaving Red Bull in July last year, is understood to have held meetings with BYD vice-president Stella Li in Cannes as the manufacturer explores a possible F1 entry.
The Chinese EV giant has reportedly discussed several pathways into the sport, including the possibility of launching a brand-new team that could eventually become the 12th entrant on the F1 grid.
Horner was spotted at a BYD event during the Cannes Film Festival and is also believed to have met company CEO Wang Chuanfu, further fuelling speculation that the 52-year-old could play a central role in any future bid.
BYD confirmed earlier this year that discussions had already taken place with Formula One Management CEO Stefano Domenicali during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend in Shanghai.
“We are always in close contact,” Li said at the time.
“I like Formula 1 because it’s about passion and culture, and people dream of being in Formula 1.”
Li also confirmed BYD was “discussing” a potential F1 entry as a way to “put our technology to the test.”
BYD’s growing interest in F1 follows its rapid global expansion, with the company recently surpassing Tesla in worldwide EV sales.
The manufacturer delivered 4.6 million vehicles globally last year and now sits among the world’s biggest automotive companies by market value alongside Toyota and Tesla.
Attention surrounding Horner’s next move has continued to build in recent weeks as the former Red Bull boss gradually increases his presence around international motorsport.
Horner was removed from his positions as Red Bull CEO and team principal shortly after the 2025 British Grand Prix, ending a hugely successful 20-year stint that delivered six constructors’ championships and eight drivers’ titles across eras led by Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
The Brit reportedly accepted a reduced settlement package in exchange for shortening the amount of time before he could return to F1 in another role.
Since becoming eligible to return on May 8, Horner has appeared at both MotoGP and Formula E events, while also being linked to a consortium interested in acquiring Otro Capital’s 24 percent stake in Alpine.
That process has become increasingly complicated amid separate interest from Mercedes, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown recently lobbying FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem against the prospect of closer alliances between teams.
Although Alpine remains the most immediate pathway back into F1, the prospect of partnering with BYD would hand Horner the chance to help shape an entirely new project from its earliest stages.
Sky Sports reporter Craig Slater compared Horner’s position to that of iconic Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in the English Premier League, as rumours surrounding a return continue to grow.
“If Pep Guardiola were on football’s managerial market he’d walk into another top job almost straight away,” Slater said.
“Horner is F1’s equivalent, given his record, but there are fewer openings and then there are the inter-personal politics to consider.”
Slater added that Horner would only return for “the right kind of project” and suggested the former Red Bull boss would likely want “a stake-holding within a team that has the potential to win in F1 again.”
A manufacturer-supported entry backed by a rapidly expanding global brand could provide exactly that type of opportunity.
FIA president Ben Sulayem has already publicly supported the idea of a Chinese manufacturer joining F1, arguing last year that such a move would strengthen the championship commercially and globally.
“If there is a team from China, let’s say, and FOM approved it, and I am 100 percent they will approve it, wouldn’t it make more money with China coming in? I believe, yes,” he said.
“The time will come when we feel it right to open an Expression of Interest.
“We are not here to upset the other teams, but it won’t be just for the sake of doing it. It has to be worth it.
“For us, the [12th] team has to add value to sustaining the business of Formula 1, and the business of Formula 1 is not about the income, it’s about the longevity of the championship itself.”
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